1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dispensing equipment and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a modular ice delivery system for providing ice to a beverage dispenser unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beverage dispensers are often equipped with a drink tower to dispense a variety of popular beverages therefrom. Typically, beverage dispensers feature ice dispensers to complement those beverages dispensed from the drink tower such that consumers expect ice to accompany many of these popular carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.
However, providing a continuous supply of ice has long been problematic, especially if a beverage dispenser is accessed by large volumes of consumers. Current beverage dispensers either require manual ice replenishment by a beverage dispenser attendant or feature automatic icemakers of limited capacity.
In particular, beverage dispensers feature an ice holding chamber for providing a supply of ice to the ice dispenser. Often, ice within the ice holding chamber is replenished by an attendant placing ice directly into the ice holding chamber. In addition to being tedious and labor intensive, manual ice replenishment is hazardous in that consumers and beverage dispenser attendants alike trip and fall on ice that lands on the floor during the replenishment process. Furthermore, manual ice replenishment is less than sanitary due to ice contact with the atmosphere, the replenishment container, and even the attendant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,338, which issued to A. G. Weil et al. on Oct. 12, 1965 and is entitled "Ice Handling Apparatus", features a beverage dispenser with an automatic ice maker. The Weil icemaker is confined within the inner workings of a beverage dispenser unit and, thus, cannot accommodate the unit's ice dispenser with large volumes of ice at any given time. The Weil icemaker imposes a further complication in that it does not include an integrated sanitizing system, which necessitates manual cleaning. Consequently, the Weil icemaker is not suited for placement in a confined space, such as under a counter.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a modular ice delivery system that is self-sanitizing and that provides large quantities of ice pursuant to consumer demand.